REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, INDRAMAYU — Ahead of the holy month of Ramadan, the prices of various basic necessities of people in the traditional market in Indramayu Regency, West Java, skyrocketed.

Not only rice, the price increase also occurred for chili peppers. It was as seen in the traditional market of Karangampel, Indramayu Regency.

The increase in the price of chili has even occurred gradually since this past month. For red cayenne pepper, the price now reaches Rp 90 thousand per kilogram. Previously, the price of red cayenne pepper was still in the range of Rp 60 thousand per kilogram.

Not only red cayenne pepper, the price of red pepper has also risen high until now to Rp 90 thousand per kilogram. The lack of stocks from farmers due to the failure of the harvest, is called the cause of the increase in the price of chili peppers on the market.

“It has been rising for a long time, almost one month now, because the stocks are empty again,” said one trader at Karangampel Market, Sri Taweniyah, on Monday (26/2/2024).

The high price of chili peppers also makes consumers reduce their purchases. As a result, merchant-owned chillies became slow to sell and so rotted.

Nevertheless, a number of consumers instead choose to buy rotten chili because of its cheaper price. They buy those rotten chillies as a mix of fresh chillies that are still of good quality.

“A few are still selling the rotten chili because (fresh chili) is expensive. Buyers yes are being singled out (rotten chillies that can still be consumed),” he said.

In addition to chili peppers, Sri continued, the price increase occurred in tomatoes and onions. Currently, tomatoes reach Rp 14 thousand per kilogram and onions Rp 32 thousand per kilogram.

Sri hopes that the government can soon overcome the high prices of vegetable commodities in the country. Especially in the run-up to the fasting month, demand from consumers will increase.

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